STUDENTS of the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines (USTP) yesterday, January 27, handed a letter calling for a speedy investigation on the December 2, 2017 murder of university president Dr. Ricardo Rotoras.
The letter, which contained some 5,000 signatures, was handed to Pimentel by the students, along with family and friends of the late university president.
The group had waited at the back of the gymnasium for Pimentel to meet them after the PDP-Laban mass oath-taking at the gym yesterday morning.
Moria Paula Atienza, student council president, said they are asking Pimentel to help them pressure authorities to hasten the investigation. Atienza said they are hoping that Pimentel's position would help in solving the crime.
"Nagpasalamat mi sa aksyon na gihatag sa sa investigation task group. Pero unta pud na madungog pa sa Malacanan, sa mga higher officials ang among request na kung pwede, mas tagaan ug priority ang investigation para mas dali ang hustisya nga gipangayo sa Rotoras family ug sa tibuok USTP community (We appreciate the ffort of the investigation task group. But we hope this will reach Malacanang and other high officials so that the Rotoras family and the whole USTP community will be given justice) ," Atienza said.
Atienza said a copy was already sent to President Rodrigo Duterte.
Pimentel accepted the documents and vowed to do his best in helping solve the murder. Pimentel also appreciated the students' gesture of initiating a signature campaign for their president.
Rotoras was gunned down by still unidentified assailants outside his home in Golden Glow North, a posh housing subdivision in Barangay Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City, on December 2 last year.
The Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo) is silent on developments of its ongoing investigation in Rotoras killing, although it has identified one person of interest, architect Rey Galua.
Galua was arrested by authorities for illegal possession of firearms and explosives on January 9, 2018.
Galua, however, has not been charged in relation to the murder of Rotoras.